Went to work on one panel of the Beetle... Truly Amazing!

M

MnRiverman

New member
Looks like I won't need a fine cut cleaner after all. After researching stronger 3M products I may need to use for my sisters beetle, I decided to go give a try with the SMR and a cutting pad. Well, I truly was impressed.



Before:

Beetle%20Swirls.jpg




After:

Beetle%20Swirl%20Free.jpg




That was just one application, and there is not one swirl anywhere on that panel. No glaze or anything with that pic, just the SMR. I'm sure with a glaze I'd be even more impressed. I then just followed up with 3M SCPW, which I'm really starting to like.



I noticed when I washed that panel that it was super rough, I mean the wash mit didn't slide over the paint easily at all, and I kept feeling bumps. After I did the SMR, everything was gone and the paint was smooth as butter. So why would someone use a clay bar?



Question though, when I used a cutting pad on my Jetta and the SMR, I noticed it hazed the paint a little bit. That wasn't the case with this car though. I even went over one section with a polishing pad, but I couldn't tell a difference, except for maybe it removed some super fine and sparse scratches the cutting pad left behind, or it was just the extra application. Maybe there was no hazing this time either because I washed the pad and it got "broken" in?



And, the car is really pretty purple/dark blue color - I don't know why the pictures turned out green? :confused:



I'll take a better picture tomorrow in direct sunlight.



- Anthony
 
that is seriously impressive, i'm guessing that is the smr for dark cars? the reason that people claybar before using smr is because if you don't, some surface contamination might get loose, and go into your pad while you're buffing out swirls, and the contamination might end up causing scratches/swirls.



also you might want to try wiping the surface with alcohol/water mixture to see if all the swirls have actually been removed, and not filled in.
 
adg44,



Those before and after pics are great!!! :bow :bow :bow



Even though I already have SMR and have used it many times, those pics make me want to use it again. Which cutting and polishing pads did you use? Also, did you use a PC?



Regarding the green color, there is probably alot of green in the flake pattern of the paint or your camera pics alot of green tones as a default.



Again, great post.



Cheers,

My Black 7 Series
 
AMP99 said:
adg44,



Those before and after pics are great!!! :bow :bow :bow
Click to expand...




LOL. I was so excited after I wiped the remains away with a microfibre cloth, that the neighbors probably heard me. :D



Even though I already have SMR and have used it many times, those pics make me want to use it again. Which cutting and polishing pads did you use? Also, did you use a PC?
Click to expand...



The 6.5" Yellow Cutting pad from CMA, and I was using a PC7424 with my speed at 3.



Regarding the green color, there is probably alot of green in the flake pattern of the paint or your camera pics alot of green tones as a default.
Click to expand...



I think it had something to do with my super high powered spot light I had behind me. :) Because at different angles the car was entirely purple... who knows, probably was the damn flash too!
 
i think the reason for the green showing up more is probably because the green is the metal flakes in the paint that are more reflective, making the paint appear greener when flashed.
 
Pics taken by a digicam can turn out green if the main lightsource in the room (garage) is fluorescent(sp?),

when you set the white balance to "outdoors" (some camera's have that option) it should be gone.



Nice change , I love to see swirls vanish like that:bow

Christiaan



:wavey
 
cvcaelen said:
Pics taken by a digicam can turn out green if the main lightsource in the room (garage) is fluorescent(sp?),

when you set the white balance to "outdoors" (some camera's have that option) it should be gone.
Click to expand...



You learn something new on Autopia every day. :) :up
 
adg44

Nice Results! I'm a SMR fan too. Did you use the yellow pad and then go over it again with a white pad? Just curious.

TJ
 
Man adg, you just answered so many questions I have been wondering about!!! My car is that same exact color (indigo blue pearl is what vw calls it BTW). I have dealer installed swirls that are almost that bad and I was wondering what product/pad combo to use. I was going to use something much more abrasive then SMR, but after seeing those results I'm glad I have not gotten around to it yet. Just one more question (this color is so wierd)..... did you do this with SMR for light or dark colored cars? I'm almost positive it would be dark I just want to make sure.....
 
TJ98Cobra said:
adg44

Nice Results! I'm a SMR fan too. Did you use the yellow pad and then go over it again with a white pad? Just curious.

TJ
Click to expand...



From my original post:



Question though, when I used a cutting pad on my Jetta and the SMR, I noticed it hazed the paint a little bit. That wasn't the case with this car though. I even went over one section with a polishing pad, but I couldn't tell a difference, except for maybe it removed some super fine and sparse scratches the cutting pad left behind, or it was just the extra application. Maybe there was no hazing this time either because I washed the pad and it got "broken" in?
Click to expand...



I really don't know... I couldn't tell a difference this time. :confused:
 
BIGkev1001 said:
Man adg, you just answered so many questions I have been wondering about!!! My car is that same exact color (indigo blue pearl is what vw calls it BTW). I have dealer installed swirls that are almost that bad and I was wondering what product/pad combo to use. I was going to use something much more abrasive then SMR, but after seeing those results I'm glad I have not gotten around to it yet. Just one more question (this color is so wierd)..... did you do this with SMR for light or dark colored cars? I'm almost positive it would be dark I just want to make sure.....
Click to expand...



Indigo Blue, Galactic Blue, and the above color (which I don't know what it's called and is only available on the Beetles), are not the same.



It was SMR for Dark Colored cars, and that is what you want to use on Indigo Blue.
 
ADG44,

what color is your jetta? I would think on a darker color using a yellow pad and SMR it would haze a lot more. I think i'll experiment with yellow pad next time.

TJ
 
TJ98Cobra said:
ADG44,

what color is your jetta? I would think on a darker color using a yellow pad and SMR it would haze a lot more. I think i'll experiment with yellow pad next time.

TJ
Click to expand...



The Beetle is a Dark Blue/Purple, whereas my jetta is just a dark blue. In the light though, my car is brighter than the Beetle.



I think it didn't haze because I had washed the pad and broken it in. Although I could be totally wrong. :)
 
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